Texas Sheet Cake (Cupcakes)

Today is Texas Independence Day, so in order to celebrate I made Texas Sheet Cake style cupcakes. I decided to make this into cupcakes vs. a sheet cake just because I was sending it with Dan to his office and I wasn't sure about the plate/fork availability.

The exact history of TX Sheet Cake is rather fuzzy. The Dallas Morning News did an article regarding it this summer and one of my favorite blog entries about it is here. Over the years I have seen it in many Junior League and church bazaar cook books; it is a staple at church picnics.

The recipe is easy, fast and foolproof, however, like any baked good, the quality of ingredients is paramount to the quality of the finished product (good things in...good things out.)

You melt the cocoa with the butter (yes, there is a lot of butter in this recipe...almost a pound...or 4 sticks) to create a smooth syrup. This is where I ventured off the beaten path; I ended up putting 2 oz of cocoa powder in the bater instead of 1 oz!

I used a Dutch-Processed cocoa (basically it has been treated with an alkali to neutralize the acids) because the buttermilk provides sufficient acid, and I find that the natural cocoa can sometimes be a bit too acidic. However, use what is in your pantry.

It is important to note that when incorporating eggs into a hot liquid mixture that you be sure to temper the mixture, or make sure it that it is somewhat cool. Otherwise, when the eggs hit the hot liquid, you could scramble your eggs and end up with a hot mess!

This batter is truly lushious; it is silky smooth and will make your kitchen smell divine! I only have one 12 cup muffin pan at the moment...remember the relic "muffinaire" that my mother-in-law gave us four years ago...it is still alive and kicking. Anyhow, I covered the batter bowl with saran wrap and popped it in the fridge between batches; I ended up with 36 cupcakes total.

I used Kate's buttermilk. What makes this so special you ask? Originally buttermilk was the liquid left over from churning butter from cream. This is a simple concept, however, with industrialization it has become another food that has been bastardized (just read the back of a label the next time you are in the supermarket. Kate's is naturally low in fat due to the fact that most of the fat went into the actual butter, but do not be fooled, the result is undeniably delicious.

Texas Sheet Cake

Ever so slightly adapted from the "Cocoa Sheath Cake" from Food Near Snellville & The Pioneer Woman (I liked her 1 3/4 sticks butter idea for the frosting!)

Ingredients
CAKE:
--2 cups AP flour (10 oz)

--2 cups granulated sugar (16 oz)

--¼ teaspoons salt
--8 Tblsps. dutch-processed cocoa (2 0z)

--2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter

--1 cup boiling water
--½ cups buttermilk

--2 eggs (beaten)
--1 tsp. baking soda
--1 tsp. vanilla

FROSTING:
--1 cup finely chopped pecans (you can change this to your liking)
--1-¾ sticks salted butter
--4 Tblsps. dutch-processed cocoa (1 oz)
--6 Tblsps. whole milk
--1 tsp. vanilla
--1 pound confectioners sugar (i.e. one box)

Cake Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and salt; whisk to combine these. Put on you tea kettle to boil water.

2. In a heavy bottom saucepan, melt the 2 sticks of butter. Add the cocoa; whisk smooth (like you would do for a cream gravy...you don't want lumps!)

3. Add boiling water and allow mixture to bubble for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

4. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. (You want to make sure that the mixture is not too hot, otherwise you will scramble the eggs when you add them to the batter).

5. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together; add the baking soda and vanilla.

6. Fold the buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.

7. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes rotating the pan half way through for even baking. (I used the same temp and baked the cupcakes for 20 minutes and it works out perfectly; just be sure not to overfill your muffin tin otherwise your frosting will slide off the cake if you don't have a bit of a lip. I used a small ladle Aunt B gave me and put only one scoop in...roughly 1/3 of the well.)

Frosting Directions:

1. While cake is baking, prepare the icing.

2. Toast the pecans in a dry pan--roughly 5-7 minutes (nuts can be tricky--when you start to smell them they are almost too toasty so keep an eye on them). Cool a bit & then chop finely.

3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.

4. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Whisk to combine. Fold in pecans.

5. Pour over warm cake (or spoon over cupcakes)